Page 144 of Pretty When She Breaks

That was true, but only coincidentally, because Jule had presented shortly after.

“I’m sorry, Laurel. I had to go,” Prince replied, tilting my chin up. “It wasn’t safe for me to stay here. Julius had started to notice your father was favouring me. He was going to be a problem.”

I restrained a sneer.

He ran away because he was afraid of Jule?

He was more of an idiot than I thought. Jule didn’t give a shit if my father liked Prince better.

“And we both know what Jule—Julius—was capable of,” Prince continued, his face darkening.

“Is,” I corrected.

Prince blinked at me. “What?”

“What Julius is capable of. He’s not dead,” I continued firmly.

Prince chuckled, and I gritted my teeth as we spun around. “Well, yes, we all heard your little meltdown at the funeral,” he said. “So you still believe it?”

“I know what I saw.”

Prince raised his eyebrows but let the conversation die as we finished the dance.

Then we were seated, and it was time for speeches. I tuned out, seated at the table at the front, as my father started.

Someone nudged my elbow, bringing me back to the present. “I think we lost you for a bit there,” Dax said, giving me a smile.

He reached his arm around my shoulder, fingers brushing over the knife wound Madison had given me. I stiffened, my breath coming out of my nose in a rush as I tried to cover the pain. I could feel Kaos’s anger sharpen in the bond, responding to my pain. He could hear all this, and was recording it, too.

Dax chuckled and pulled me closer. “Shhh,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I didn’t have time to say the other day, but you did so well during your punishment, princess. All is forgiven, all right?”

I let him hold me, no other choice in the room full of people.

“You know what I think, Laurel?” Dax said under hisbreath. I shook my head, my polite smile making my cheeks ache. “I think you’re smarter than people realize. I can see it in those eyes.”

He nudged my head around so I was facing him. Fine. He wanted to bait me? I wasn’t afraid of him, not with Kaos so responsive in the bond. I was facing away from the crowd and let my mask fall, letting him see the hatred and disgust I really felt toward him.

“There you are. The real Laurel,” he said, the corner of his mouth tugging up into a smirk. “I thought so. Let’s have a talk while it’s just you and me, hmm? There’s something that’s been bothering me since that night.”

“I’ve got nothing to say to you,” I said lightly, my smile returning.

“Let me tell you a story,” he said, drumming his fingers on my arm. “See, there’s this pretty little omega. Such a shame that they’re overlooked and undervalued by their father. But they’re sharp. They know what to do to survive. They keep their ear to the ground and play the game from the shadows. Clever. Careful. Every move is calculated.”

He paused, drawing circles on my skin.

“Would that clever little omega really forget that we supply this place with rut rage, hmm?”

I stayed silent, taking a sip of my drink. His voice had lowered, a dangerous edge coloring it.

“I know you lied to me, Laurel. So, how about the truth? Why did you swap out the rofetamine that night?”

He held my gaze, his hand going dangerously near to my shoulder again.

“I think you like that alpha. Am I right?”

I held his gaze. I believed Kaos when he’d promised to come if I needed him. I’d seen what Kaos could do to people, and it meant I wasn’t afraid of Dax anymore. Dax thought hehad me cornered, though, and I didn’t want to raise suspicion.

I let my face fall a bit, let some uncertainty bleed through. “Perhaps,” I said quietly.